A presentation at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona revealed that HTC and Vodafone are releasing a G2 phone (a.k.a. HTC Magic) as the successor to HTC and T-Mobile's G1 Android phone. Vodafone claims "exclusive deal" for G2. Where goeth the G3?

Unlike the G1, the HTC Magic shuns the sliding keyboard and thereby becomes a bit slimmer and lighter. The Magic drives per touchscreen, keyboard and the trackball inherited from the G1. Users can find the usual Android/Google features such as browser, Google Maps, Google Mail, Google Search, a YouTube client and a market for further Android tools and applications. The mobile phone has GPS, a 3.2-MPixel camera and WiFi (see technical data).

The HTC Magic will be available from Vodafone initially in Germany, then Spain, Great Britain and France. In Italy, the device will be decoupled from Vodafone. Other markets will soon follow. Whether it has to do with market studies or availability, in any case the devices will come in white in France, Spain and Britain, black in Germany, and both colors in Italy. Prices and tariffs are still undetermined.

Google has presented its Android mobile phone to the public. What's special about the Nexus One is the 3.5" touchscreen with an OLED display resolving at 800 x 480 pixels and the newest Android 2.1 (Eclair).

The leading hardware and software vendors are currently meeting at the world’s largest mobile-specific Open Source conference to network about the future of the industry. Linux Magazine Online is there to present news on the progress.